This was the situation with my great-grandfather, he was the child of an unwed native woman and taken in by a non-native family. The shame at that time of being from an unwed mother and the fear of disrimination is why his birth mother or father are not named on any documents. He took the name of the family that took him in and protected him, but he bravely declared being aboriginal on many documents. Now after over one hundred years he is still being discriminated against through the Algonquins of Ontario Land Claim process.
The government along with its agents will continue to exclude people in any way possible, as it is a benefit to them to eventually eliminate aboriginal people.

Reply

Lynn Gehl

11/3/2012 08:22:09 am

Kwey Bob,

Indeed it is ridiculous that the Algonquin land claims process in Ontario is relying on Western and thus colonial definitions of inclusion in the final ratification of the settlement agreement. The issue you raise of treating the descendants of a person who was born out-of-wedlock, as people unworthy is deeply disturbing. But really this should not surprise us - as I have been saying, the entire process is rooted in colonial policies and parameters.

While this happened to your ancestor (and thus you and your family as a descendant of this ancestor), the issue I am addressing in this Black Face blog is that federal policy is still treating children born out-of-wedlock as less than and therefore not entitled to their treaty rights. Thus, nothing really has changed has it? More people need to know this.

I am sorry to hear that being a descendant of a child born out-of-wedlock may potentially exclude you from your rights as an Indigenous person. If it is of any comfort - know that there are many Algonquin in a similar place of exclusion. In this way, the Algonquin process of extinguishing or relinquishing, or releasing – whatever word game they want to use - our rights will never be final.

Lynn

Reply

Russell Cadotte

11/9/2012 03:53:09 am

Tansi Lynn
Thank you for all your good work on behalf of us. I am not eligible for registration as my mothers father was non treaty, because he enlisted for WW1 and lied about his age. He was a year too young, he also fought in WW2 and in 1951 they were kicked of Fisher River reserve where my mother and generations of grandmothers are/were registered. What a way to thank him for his sacrifice. I was born in 1959 and should have been registered then, but wasn't because of my grandfather being "non treaty". My mother married a non native 3 years after my birth, so lost hers at that time. Anyway, my father is Not known/not listed and is not certain of his father anyway, his mother was non native, but it was strictly unspoken of who his father was, those that did know are gone now.
Best wishes and Thanks Again. Russell

Reply

lynn gehl

12/11/2012 04:14:20 am

Kwey Russell,

Miigwetch for the kind words. I see no reason why you cannot be registered through your mother. Have you applied? If not, that is the best test to determine if you are eligible.